Sinusitis is a fairly common problem faced by many people. The disease is accompanied by an inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the paranasal sinuses. There are different types of sinusitis, each with different symptoms.
Of course, many people are looking for more information about this pathology. Why do sinusitis develop? Symptoms and treatment in adult patients, possible complications and diagnostic features are important data that are worth studying. After all, the sooner a person turns to a doctor, the easier the therapy process will be.
General information about the disease
Many people experience sinusitis. The ICD assigned codes J01 (acute form of the disease) and J32 (chronic sinusitis) to this pathology. Sinusitis is a disease that is accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes in one or more paranasal sinuses. Inflammation can take many forms. For example, it is often accompanied by the formation and accumulation of pus.
Before considering symptomsand the treatment of sinusitis in adults, it must be said that a lot here depends on exactly where the inflammation is localized. There are several forms of the disease.
- Sinusitis is a form of sinusitis that is accompanied by inflammation in the maxillary sinus (maxillary).
- When ethmoiditis pathology affects the area of the ethmoid labyrinth.
- Frontitis is a disease characterized by inflammation in the frontal sinus.
- When sphenoiditis, the inflammatory process covers the mucous membranes in the sphenoid sinus.
Main causes of inflammation
As you can see, there are different types of sinusitis. Nevertheless, the reasons for their development are the same. As you know, the nasal cavity communicates with the cavities of seven paranasal sinuses: paired maxillary, frontal and ethmoid, as well as one sphenoid. The passages between the cavities are quite narrow - they perform the function of cleansing the sinuses. In the event that natural drainage is disturbed for one reason or another, a secret begins to accumulate in the sinus cavities, which, in turn, creates ideal conditions for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Risk factors include various anatomical features and deformities of intranasal structures. Curvature of the nasal septum, tissue hypertrophy, anomalies in the structure of the ethmoid labyrinth - all this disrupts the excretion of secretions from the paranasal sinuses.
- The most common cause is a viral infection. Against the background of colds, flu and other diseases, the mucous membranes of the nose and paranasal sinuses swell,blocking the passages between the cavities. The sinuses close, a secret begins to accumulate inside - pathogenic microorganisms begin to actively multiply, which leads to the development of an inflammatory process.
- Bacterial often joins a viral infection. In this case, we are talking about the active reproduction of opportunistic bacteria, in particular streptococci and staphylococci.
- A fungal infection can also become the cause of the inflammatory process. By the way, cases of fungal sinusitis have become more frequent over the past few years. Scientists attribute this to the unauthorized use of antibiotics. Antibacterial agents kill beneficial microflora, which creates good conditions for the reproduction of fungal microorganisms.
- Cases of polyposis sinusitis are also often recorded. Polyps often block the channels between the sinuses, preventing the free outflow of secretions.
- Possible and allergic sinusitis, which in most cases is the result of vasomotor rhinitis and other allergic diseases. According to statistics, approximately 80% of patients with allergic rhinitis also suffer from chronic forms of inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Sinusitis exacerbations appear regularly. Pathology does not respond well to conservative treatment.
Infection can enter the sinuses in a variety of ways. In most cases, pathogenic microorganisms enter the affected area through the nasal passages (during inhalation). If the doctor talks about odontogenic maxillary sinusitis, then this means thatthe infection penetrated into the sinuses from the roots of the teeth affected by the pathological process or during the extraction of a diseased tooth. In addition, infection can occur during direct mechanical trauma to the nose. Pathogenic microorganisms sometimes enter the sinus cavity along with the blood stream.
Forms and types of sinusitis
In fact, there are many classification schemes for sinusitis. As already mentioned, depending on the localization of the inflammatory process, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, sphenoiditis and ethmoiditis are distinguished.
If we are talking about the defeat of the paired sinuses, then there are unilateral and bilateral sinusitis. Depending on the course, an acute and chronic form of this disease is distinguished (with chronic inflammation, the symptoms are blurred, but the likelihood of complications is much higher).
In addition, exudative forms of the disease are isolated, which are accompanied by the formation of a large amount of mucous secretion. This group includes purulent, serous and catarrhal sinusitis. Productive, in turn, are divided into proliferating and parietal-hyperplastic forms.
Sinusitis: features of the clinical picture
Sinusitis is the most common form of sinusitis, which is accompanied by inflammation of the maxillary (maxillary) sinuses. The first symptoms of the disease are abundant discharge from the nasal passages (often they contain pus clots). The patient's nose is blocked.
A characteristic sign is a severe headache that radiates to the forehead, teeth, bridge of the nose. Unpleasant sensationsas a rule, amplify at an inclination of the head. The pain becomes sharper with pressure on the sinus. Discomfort is permanent. Many patients complain of a feeling of fullness in the cheeks and forehead - this sensation increases during sneezing and coughing, as well as when tilting the head. Often sinusitis is accompanied by lacrimation. The patient's eyes become more sensitive to light.
Of course, there are also symptoms of general intoxication. Perhaps a sharp increase in body temperature. Patients complain of fatigue, drowsiness, physical weakness. When such symptoms appear, it is very important to consult a specialist in time. The inflammatory process can quickly spread to neighboring sinuses, bone and brain structures.
What are the symptoms of ethmoiditis?
Inflammation of the ethmoid sinus rarely manifests itself as an independent disease - in most cases, this pathology is associated with other forms of sinusitis. As in the case of sinusitis, the main symptom of the disease is a severe headache, but the discomfort in this case is localized in the region of the nose. Sometimes, against the background of the disease, swelling of the tissues of the upper and lower eyelids is formed. Possible small hemorrhages in the conjunctiva.
Discharge from the nose is serous in the first days, but as the disease progresses, they turn into purulent. The patient is practically unable to breathe through the nose. There is a decrease in the sense of smell, sometimes up to its complete disappearance. If the inflammatory process extends to the orbit, then it is possibleprotrusion of the eyeball. The patient's body temperature rises sharply.
Symptoms of sinusitis
According to statistics, frontal sinusitis is one of the most severe forms of sinusitis. The disease is accompanied by severe hyperthermia. The patient's breathing is very difficult, there is a discharge from the nose. If there is left-sided sinusitis, then the discharge is formed only on the left side.
Patients complain of sharp, severe pain in the forehead. Unpleasant sensations are most pronounced in the morning, because during the night an even greater amount of mucous and / or purulent secretions has time to accumulate in the sinuses. The sense of smell is reduced. The list of symptoms also includes pain in the eyes, increased sensitivity to light.
Sometimes the skin in the forehead changes - this is typical for influenza frontal sinusitis. Perhaps the appearance of edema of the eyelid and skin in the superciliary region. Puffiness appears only on the affected side. Chronic forms of inflammation often lead to the formation of polyps. The infection sometimes spreads to bone tissue, which, if left untreated, contributes to the formation of fistulas and tissue necrosis.
Sphenoiditis: features of symptoms
Inflammation of the sphenoid sinus is rarely an independent disease - in most cases it is associated with ethmoiditis. The symptoms of the pathology include severe pain, which, as a rule, occurs in the orbital area, and then spreads to the back of the head and parietal zones.
Patients sometimes complain of pain that seems to appear in the depths of the head. Inflammatorythe process, if left untreated, often extends to the area where the optic nerves cross, leading to a rapid and sometimes irreversible decrease in vision.
Possible Complications
We have already reviewed the main types of sinusitis and the features of their symptoms. It is worth noting that if left untreated, such diseases can lead to dangerous complications, sometimes even death. The inflammatory process sometimes extends to bone structures, which provokes the development of osteomyelitis. The infection can spread to the brain tissue, and this leads to meningitis. If we are talking about frontal sinusitis, then in the absence of therapy, the disease can result in the formation of an epidural or subdural abscess of the brain. Unfortunately, sinusitis is not always diagnosed in a timely manner, as the initial symptoms are often confused with colds and other diseases.
Diagnostic measures
The symptoms of sinusitis are very characteristic, so patients are usually referred to the ENT immediately. After an otolaryngological examination, a person is prescribed some additional examinations. For example, an x-ray of the paranasal sinuses is needed (pictures are taken in two projections).
In addition, the patient donates blood for analysis - an increase in the level of leukocytes indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. Sometimes scrapings are taken from the nasal mucosa for examination. The laboratory also sends the fluid obtained during the washing of the sinuses. Samples are used for bacteriological culture - this helps to determine the type of pathogen.
Additionally, an ultrasound examination is performed. If there is reason to suspect complications, the patient is sent for magnetic resonance and computed tomography of the head.
Effective treatments
Treatment in this case directly depends on the form and severity of the disease. The doctor selects the therapy regimen.
- First of all, you need to restore the outflow of the secret from the sinuses. For this, vasoconstrictor drugs are used. Such means as "Xylometazoline", "Nafazolin", "Otrivin" are considered effective. They help to quickly relieve swelling of the mucous membranes.
- Sine evacuation is considered effective. Catheters are inserted into different nasal passages of the patient. An antiseptic solution is delivered through one catheter and is immediately aspirated through the other.
- Antibacterial drugs are used only if the inflammation is associated with the activity of the bacterial microflora. For viral sinusitis, antibiotics can only hurt.
- If there is an accumulation of pus, then the sinus is pierced, its contents evacuated and treated with an antiseptic.
- Chronic purulent sinusitis during an exacerbation is treated in the same way as acute forms. But during remission, patients are prescribed various physiotherapy procedures, such as UHF.
- Some forms of the disease require surgery. For example, with polypous sinusitis, the doctor removes polyps. A deviated nasal septum also requires surgical correction. Of course, with the help of medications, symptoms can be relieved.inflammation, but if the anatomical defect is not corrected, then the likelihood of developing another exacerbation in the future increases.
Prevention: how to prevent the development of the disease?
We have already covered the symptoms and treatment of sinusitis in adults. But, as you know, it is much easier to try to avoid the development of such a disease than to worry about therapy later. Unfortunately, there are no specific preventive measures. However, the doctor recommends following some rules:
- All infectious diseases, such as runny nose, colds, scarlet fever, influenza, should be adequately treated in time.
- It is important to follow the rules of oral hygiene - this will help prevent the development of periodontitis, which often causes sinusitis.
- If the patient has anatomical defects in the nasal cavity (for example, a deviated septum, etc.), then they must be corrected in a timely manner.
- Of course, you need to strengthen the immune system, eat right, keep fit - this increases the body's resistance to various infections.
When the first signs appear, it is important to see a doctor. The sooner therapy is started, the lower the likelihood of complications.
